Two known figures in Ghana’s entertainment and social media space, Afia Schwarzenegger and Deborah Seyram Adablah, have recently found themselves on the wrong side of the law for contempt of court.
Both women who are known for their social media presence and outspoken personalities, were punished for actions that disrespected the authority of the judiciary.
Popular socialite cum comedienne, Afia Schwarzenegger faced legal trouble after making defamatory comments on United Showbiz about NPP Ashanti regional chairman, Wontumi.
Social media influencer, Deborah Seyram Adablah was also sentenced after releasing viral videos attacking judges involved in her legal case with a banker she described as her “sugar daddy.”
This article recounts and delves into their ordeal during the contempt of court case.
Afia Schwarzenegger
Afia Schwarzenegger was fined GH¢60,000 (equivalent to 5,000 penalty units) by the Tema High Court for contempt of court.
Her charge stemmed from her appearance on United Showbiz in 2022, where she made some defamatory statements about politician Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.
However, she later failed to attend any of the court proceedings related to the case, effectively calling their bluff.
On December 1, 2022, Afia was sentenced to 10 days in jail for contempt but again, she did not appear in court.
She later appeared on December 20, 2022, with her lawyer Adrian Duke Amaning, who appealed for the sentence to be varied, citing legal provisions that allow courts to suspend or discharge contempt sentences under certain conditions and her lawyer argued that she had shown remorse and had even issued a public apology.
On January 31, 2023, the court agreed to substitute the jail term with a fine and ordered Afia to sign a bond of good behaviour for 36 months.
Deborah Seyram Adablah
Deborah Seyram Adablah, a social media influencer has been sentenced to 45 days in prison for contempt of court.
The punishment comes after she posted videos on her social media page in which she criticised the judges handling her legal case.
The Accra High Court found the videos to be disrespectful and damaging to the integrity and authority of the judiciary.
She was summoned and asked to explain her actions but was convicted for contempt.
This development follows a long-standing legal battle between Deborah and a banker, Ernest Kwasi Nimako, whom she referred to as her “sugar daddy.”
In her original lawsuit filed in January 2023, she claimed Nimako broke several promises, including buying her a car, paying rent for three years, giving her a GH¢3,000 monthly stipend, marrying her after divorcing his wife, and providing capital for a business.
She sued him to fulfill those promises, but the court dismissed the case in November 2023, saying it lacked merit.
The court also ordered her to hand over the vehicle gifted to her by her ‘sugar daddy’ to the Registrar of the court. In addition, she was directed to pay her ‘sugar daddy’ a sum of GH¢10,000.
AK/EB
